Distance-gear for automobile torpedoes.



H. W. SHONNARD. DISTANCE GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 2?, I916.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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H. W. SHONNARD.

DISTANCE GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 27,1916.

3 snens-suzer 2.

WITNESSES W f zmj -H. W. SHONNARU.

DISTANCE GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-22.19%.

1,296,328. Patented Mar. 4,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3..

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HABOLD'W. SHONNARD, 0F UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO CRUCIBLE STEEL COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA; AC ORPORATION or "NEW JERSEY.

DISTANCE-GEAR FOB; AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pajten 'fie'd Liar. 4, 1919.

Application filed October 27, 1916. Serial No; 128,083.

To'all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLDW. SHONNARD, residing at Upper'Montclair, in the county of Essex and'State of New Jersey, a citizen of the United States, have invented or dis. covered certain new and useful Improvements Distance-Gear for Automobile Torpedoes, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automobile torpodoes, and has particularly to do with mechanism, usually known as distance gears, for stopping the torpedo propelling mechanism after the torpedo has traveled a desired predetermined distance. The object is to provide a positively acting distance gear which will be simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and which may be quickly and easily set for any desired length of run.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, which form part of my specification, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention. Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a torpedo showing the general arrangement of the distance gear and the parts connected to it; Fig. 2 a sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line IIII,Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a detail sectional. view taken on the line III-III, Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines IVIV and VV, Fig. 2 Figs. 6 and 7 sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines VI--VI and VII-VII, Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing certain parts in different relative positions.

In the several figures like numerals are used to designate like parts.

In the practice of my invention, the dis tance gear which I provide for stopping the propelling mechanism of atorpedo 'accomplishes this end by controlling the flow of motive fluid to such mechanism. While the motive fluid may be controlled in various ways and at various points before it reaches thedriving motor or engine, it is preferably controlled at the starting valve, the general arrangement to this end bein shown in Fig. 1. In this figure the prope ling mechanism is illustrated by the oppositely rotatable propelling shafts 1 and 1' adapted to be driven by a turbine or other form of motor in a manner well known to those skilled in the art and not requiring'illustration herein-.-

Thestarting valve is of a well known type comprising a casing 2 having its inlet connected to a pipe 3 leading from the com pressed' air reservoir and its outlet connectedto a piped leading to a motive fluid genera tor or directly to i the driving motor. Vithinthe casing there is an unbalanced valve member 5 provided. with a small port or bypass 6 to permit compressed air to flow into the upper portion of the casing to hold the valve in closed position. For controlling the starting valve, and in turn the flow of motive fluid to the propelling mechanism, there is provided a controller in the form ofa spring pressed bleeder valve consisting of a stem 7 and easing 8, Fig. 3, the

the stem 7 is in open position the compressed.

air from the top of thevalve 5 will escape through a port 9 in the casing 8, thus permitting the valve 5 to open by reason of the unbalanced pressure on it.

The distance gear which I provide comprises a single member for moving the stem 7 to open position and holding it in such position, a driven member adapted to move said first named member to release the stem 7, and a driver for moving the driven member. The driver is operatively connected to the torpedo propelling mechanism so that it moves continuously when such mechanism is in operation, and there isa clutch between the driver and driven member so construct-- ed that the driver and driven member will move in unison when the driver is moved in but one direction.

.Referring to the embodiment of the invention'illustrated in the drawings, all the parts of the distance gear are conveniently mounted in a frame 10 secured to the torpedo body'll. The member for moving the stem 7 to open position consists of a cam 1213 secured to a spindle 14 rotatably mounted in bearings 16 and 17 of the-frame 10. The movement of the stem 7 by the cam is efl'ectedindirectly through a finger 18 pivoted to the frame 10 and provided with a roller 19 adapted to rest on the cam. When the cam is in theposition indicated in Fig.

3, the ibuer'w resting on the face V stem17 is held in closed position under the action of a spring 20 and the pressure of the air on the top of the stem. Whenin the 'rcalternate pos'ition indicated in Fig. 7, the roller resting on the cam face-13,;thevalve I stemisheld in open position, and it will be funder'stood that the movement of the cam from the first to the second posit on causes the stem to move from closed to: open valve position. Secured to, the spindle 14 and movable with thecam, there is anj'arm 21" connected to ajtrip finger 22 "by means aof a1 ro'd 23, the'Jarrangement being? such that when the finger 22 is moved to; the'-right,"as

viewed inFig. 1, the cam will raise the stem iva'lv'ein the manner already explained. For

- with an arm-124 having alaterallyextending,

7'," thus efif'eo'tin'g the opening" of the starting the purposeof engaging the camfor moving it" to releasethe stem land thus cut 'oifthe supply of motive fluid, the cam' is provided doc 25.; 1

already indicated, a driven *member is provided to move the canrto valves-releasing I position, andga driver co6rdinated with the --propelling mechanism for moving' the driven member." The" driven jmember, as

best seen in-Figsy5, 6 and? 7 isian integral structure coiisistingofa collar 26 rotatably moiinted 'onga" hub 27 of the frame '10, a

finger 28 projecting radially from the col j lar a disk 29 at one sideof-the collar, and astem' 80'extendin'g laterally from the disk.

The arrangement i-sf'such ;that, upon the rotation ofthe-driven member the finger 28 thereof engages "the dog 1'25 of the cam member and moves such member with it.

To; the end that the driven member may, afterthecam has been: turned sufliciently torelease the valve stem 7 ,continue to ro- 1. r te, the aXis of rotation of the driven member is" arranged eccentric to but parallel with that of the cam. 'Thus,-w hen rotated,

the tip of'the finger 28jmoves in an arc indicated by the line 31, and the'inneredge of the dog '2 5' on an are indicated by the l1n'e32, 1t'be1ng"'readily apparent that be- 7 f yond the point of. intersection of thes e arcs without carrying with it the cam' member.

' Two means are provldedfor moving thethe driven member may continue to, move driven memben'fthe one fa manually operable {means for turning it in a. clockw1se direction," as viewed 'in Fig. 7,"so that the finger may be set at a desired interval from the dog '25, andfthe other, already referred to a dr1ver, "co6rdinated'with thepropellingmechanism to movelthe driven memberllnto' engagement-with the dog The former, as" shown herein, consists'of a pinion 33. keyed to the stem 30 of-the'driven mem'- fiber, and 'a' p'i'nion 34 keyed to fa-shaft 35 and meshing with the pinion 33L; The outer end of {the shaft 35 projets'thronghi the c interiorly Withj'ratchet'teeth. 7

The operation will now be explained; Be fore launching theQtOrped the f finger 28 The driver iconsists of a worm ear36 mounted o njthe periphery oftlie d1sk26 of the driven Inernber'and provided on its outer facewith teeth ineshing withga, worm 137 ..:*.The driving connection between this worm and the propelling shaft comprises ashaft 38, worm gear 39,

worm 40,.coupling' rod ll, Worm gear 42,

and worm 4:3 secured to a propelling shaft.

While various forms of clutches may be used between the driver and driven member to the' end that the driver 1 will move rtorpedo provided With a wrench socket forturning 1t.

the driven 1 member when the propelling inechanisIirifiS in operation andthat e the driven member may, wlthout imovln'g the driver, be set as' already explained, a pawl and ratchet clutch is preferably femployed. As shown in Fig; -6', a. spring pressed pawl 44; is'pivotally mounted in a suitably formed recessiii the disk portion 29 0f the driven member, and" the worm gear 36, is provided of the driven. member of the distancegear is turned so that it is 'spacedat the de'sired interval from" the dog 25' of the'cam'mem-" her, itbeing understood-that the greater the space interi' al-bet'ween such finger and dog the longer will be'fthe" travel of the torpedo, Thefsettingofthis'fi-nger is of; fected by turning the-E' shaft '35 which,

through p'in'ion's 34 and 33, rotates the driven member in clockwise direction as vlewed in F1g-s. 6, 7 and 8,'F1g. I,8"show1ng the fingerin a starting iposition. Prior'to 1 5 openand remain open T'to permit air .to fiowto the propelling motor: Through.

the driving connections alreadyfexplained one of the propelling shafts turns the worm gear '36 of the distance gear, and the driver,

through the pawl" and. ratchet clutch, turns the .driVenQmembe'r; V V shafts have made the required number of revolutions to bring the finger 28 of" the driven 7 member from the position indicated in Fig. '8 into engagement {with the dog 25" or the cam member as shovvn in Fig. 7, the cam member is turned-by the further 1 movement of this finger to the position indicated in 'Fig 3, and in such position 01''. can]; "the valve stem 7 is" permitted iWhen the propeller to close with the result that the starting valve will close and the motive fluid be shut off from the propelling engine. Finally the further rotation of the propelling mecha nism, due to its acquired momentum, causes the finger 28 to move beyond its range of engagement with the dog 25, as indicated by the arcs 31 and 32 in Fig. 7.

According to the provisions of the patent statute I have described the principle and operation of my invention together with mechanism which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that the invention may be practised by other forms of mechanism than that shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanism therefor, of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controller held yieldingly in closed position, a single member for moving said controller to and holding it in open position, and means coordinated with the propelling mechanism for releasing said member.

2. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanism therefor, of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controlling valve held yieldingly in closed position, a movable cam effective when moved to one position to open said valve and when in such position to hold it open, and means coordinated with the propelling mechanism for moving said cam to release said valve.

3. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanism therefor, of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controller, a rotatable driven member for operating said controller, a rotatable driver for moving said driven member, operative connections between said driver and the propelling mechanism, and a clutch between said driver and driven member effective to cause said parts to move in unison when the driver is turned in but one direction.

4;. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanisms therefor, of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controller, a driven member for operating said controller, a driver for moving said driven member, operative connections beween said driver and the propelling mechanisms, and pawl and ratchet connections between said driver and driven member.

5. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanism therefor,

of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controller, a rotatable driven member for operating said controller, a rotatable driver for moving said driven member, operative connections between said driver and the propelling mechanism, and pawl and ratchet connections between said driver and driven member.

6. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with propelling mechanism therefor, of a distance gear comprising a motive fluid controller, a rotatable driven member for operating said controller, a driver rotatable 011 an axis eccentric to but parallel with that of said driven member whereby said driver after having movedsaid driven member may move farther without moving said driven member, operative connections between said driver and the propelling mechanism, and a clutch between said driver and driven member effective to cause said parts to move in unison when the driver is turned in but one direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HAROLD W. SHONNAR-D.

Witnesses:

GEO. V. JAMES, L. W. HASKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

